Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-01-13
RULES FOR BUILDING.

| others, who intend TO erect dwellings
next spring, the following rules from
| the Country Gentleman, are furnished
by way of suggestion. and some of them
| may afford valuable hints even to those
who may have already given the subject
considerable study, for them to digest
| during the leisure of winter
/. Never build in hurry-take time
to mature plans and to season timber
2. Get plans well matured, so as to
| prevent costly alterations; and if nee
cessary, secure the assistance of a good
common sense, professional architect.
8. Choose a good spot for the house
healthy, dry. with good drainage-and.
if possible, with a good prospect, land
scape and trees. Surface water should
run off in every direction.
4. Secure provision for pure water
if not by wells and springs, then with
filtered rain-water. Many lose their
lives by using impure water.
5. Other things being equal, the house
should face the south, on several ac-
counts.
6. Place the house where it will be
most accessible from all parts of the
farm, as nearly as maybe. for the con-
venience of the owner and his men in
their constant laborS.
z. In planning the house consult
mainly the lady who is to live and rule
there, and who should have the first
voice in all arrangements.
s. In erecting the building, expect to
pay for what you get; hire honest and
skillful builders, and pay them fair
wages, and not beat them down and
tempt to slight the work.
8. Beginning at the basement or cell
lar. let it be well lighted, with double
glazed windows-and always kept dry
and clean. so as never TO need cleaning.
10. Let the cellar extend under the
whole house, for preserving the timber
from rotting, and afiording the room.
II. For country houses, wood is usual
ly best and cheapest Stone walls are
cold and damp, unless we'll furred,
lathed and plastered. All brick walls
should have air spaces. In building
with wood, adopt balloon frames with
air spaces between outside and interior
plastering, with the additional security
of using building paper or brick inside,
and use plenty of nails, as they are the
cheapest strengtheners.
II. If the cellar has not perfect nat
ural drainage. lay tile outside all
around the wall foot and half be-
| low the wall, with free discharge; and
cross drains into it to keep the cellar
free from dampness.
Is. In arranging the rooms, first
make list of all the rooms wanted,
| and then place them on paper in the
| best juxtaposition.
IA The pantry should be between the
kitchen and dining room, or easily ae
cessible to both.
10. The living room should have
| pleasant views outside-lawn, trees,
flower garden, or distant landscape.
16. Stairways should always be vel
lighted-no dark corners and occasions
for stumbling. Easy stairs are mado
with 1-2 inch risers and 10 inch tread
II. Few spacious windows are better
than many contracted ones.
10. Avoid hanging doors to swing
outside on star landings, and never
| place them so as to strike each Other
when opened.
10. Bed rooms should be large enough
to avoid placing the bed against win
dow or closet door.
20. Plenty OF closets should be provid
cd. and hang the Olosct door so that the
closet may receive light from the near
est window.
q. Adjoining the kitchen, dining OF
living room. should be small room &C
cessible from outside, for workingmer
1 r.,,,IIrv cvxI a.,
and to wash their hands.
%. In the country avoid basement
kitchens, and place kitchen. living
room, and common bed rooms all OF
one floor. for ready access. On narrow
aud costly city lots. one may be over th.
| other.
%. 10 deaden the floor between the
cellar and room above, nail flooring OF
The lower SIDES of the joists, place OF
this two or three inches of concrete and
then lay the floor This will exclude
sounds, prevent rising exhalalIons from
fruit room or cellar. and prove addi-
tional security against fire.
"a. Kitchen windows. being in con-
slant use. should be hung on weights;
and they should ALWAYS be on opposite
sides, TO give full light and free ycntila-
ton.
rs. In building, avoid ornamental
follies in exteriors--such as mansard
roofs, tawdry Gothic gables, Queen
Anne distortions, etc, and apply the
cost to interior convenieaces But adopt
neatness and symmetry.
26. A square or rectangular house
gives the most room for the same
amount of outside walls; but some ex-
ception must be made in order to OBJ
tain light and differentiation.
~. Avoid receding angles in roofs, as
much as possible, as they are frequent
cause of leakage.
%. Easily accessible verandas may
be made with high ceilings. to prevent
darkening windows.
20. A high ceiling to rooms poorly
ventilated. is not SO good as one Of
moderate height, but well ventilated.
30. Window seats are always pleas
ant addition to rooms.
Warm-air furnaces (not hot-air)
should have tubes and registers large
enough to give all the warmth required,
without any burned air."
A neat. well kept garnet, may be used
as children's play house and furnish
ed with swing, dolls, toy-wagons, pict-
ures, insect cages, spinning tops, etc.